Introduction

MS700 f.[56]r

The Department of Manuscripts has approximately one million items in its collections spanning nearly a thousand years. They are mostly manuscripts relating to the island of Ireland or written by Irish people in Ireland or overseas.

The manuscript collection covers a wide range of subjects including the history of Irish civilization, landed estate records, maps, political, social and economic papers, and papers relating to language, literature, art, music and architecture.

The collection ranges from the earliest item in the Department of Manuscripts which dates from the early eleventh century up to contemporary documents.